Back to School: Sick kids – should they stay or should they go?

September 5, 2016

If your child is running a fever and you're running late to work, what do you do? Should you keep your child home or send him or her to school? Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist Dr. Pritish Tosh says when a child is sick from an infection, such as a bad cold or flu, the best way to prevent the illness from getting worse or spreading to others is to keep your child home. "Stopping the spread of an infectious disease is a combination of good hand hygiene and keeping sick people out of public areas."

Dr. Tosh says it is in the best interest of sick children and adults to be able to rest and recover.